Adjustable ladder-shelf.



'ADJUSTABLE LADDER SHELF.

APPLICATION FILED NOV-12.1917. 1,'260,525. Patented Mar. 26, 191

2 SH'EETS-SHEET 1.

INVE W 6 9mm ATTOF 1 luuuulnuu WITNESSES B. C. DODDS.

ADJUSTABLE LADDER SHELF.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 12. 1911.

Patented Mar. 26, 1918.

2 swans-smear 2.

INVEVTOR ATTORNEY BERT G. DODDS, F WOODLAND, CALIFORNIA.

ADJUSTABLE LADDER-SHELF.

Specification of Letters Iatent.

Patented Mar. 26, 1918.

Application filed November 12, 1917. Serial No. 201,528.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, BERT O. Dorms, a citizen of the United States,residing at Woodland, in the county of Yolo and State of California,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Adjustable Ladder-Shelves, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an improved ladder shelf and the principalobject of the invention is to provide a shelf which may be connectedwith a ladder and which may be adjusted so that the shelf will at alltimes be level without respect to the inclination of the ladder.

Another object of the invention is to so construct the shelf that it maybe adjusted transversely of the ladder to extend either directly fromthe ladder or to one side thereo 1 Another object of the invention is toso construct this shelf that the bracket thereof may be easily andquickly connected with the rungs of the ladder and securely held inplace when connected with the ladder.

Another object of the invention is to so construct this shelf that itwill be held againstside play and thus danger of tilting prevented.

This invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, whereinFigure 1 is a view in elevation showing the improved bracket connectedwith a ladder,

Fig. 2 is a view showingthe improved bracket in side elevation and theladder in section,

Fig; 3 is a vertical sectional view taken along the line 33 of Fig. 2,

Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view taken along the line 4-4 of Fig.3withcertain other portions of the bracket in place,

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along the line 55 of Fig.4.

This shelf is for use in connection with a ladder indicated in generalby the numeral and will be suspended from one of the rungs 11 by thehooks or suspending rods 12, the upper or hooked ends of which engageone rung and the lower end portions of which will rest upon a lowerrung. Sleeves or extensions 13 fit upon the lower end portions of theserods 12 and are held in a set position by the set screws 14, thesleevesbeing provided so that the rods may be lengthened if the deviceis used upon a laddeuhaw ing the rungs set far apart. These rods orhooks 12 are connected with the back-board or body 15 of the shelf bybrackets 16 and at the lower end of the back-board there is provided abracing rod or hook 17 pivotally connected with the body by the bearings18 and having its hooked end portion 19 adjustably and releasably heldin a set position by the set screw 20. This bracing hook may be swung toeither side of the shelf and when in an operative position as shown inFig. 1, will rest upon one of the hooks 21. By providing an adjustablemounting for this bracing hook 17 the hook may be turned in the properdirection according to the inclination of the ladder and thus thebrackets prevented from having transverse movement upon the ladder.

A bracket plate 22 is pivotally connected with the body or base-board 15by the pivot pin or bolt 23 and carries a housing 24 in which isslidably mounted a latching pin 25 yieldably held to extend throughopenings formed in the latch plate 26 by the springs 27. It will-thus beseen that this bracket plate may be turned to extend at the desiredangle and may be releasably locked in the adjusted position. Upper andlower sets of hinge ears 28 and 29 extend from the bracket plate 22 andserve to pivotally mount the rack 30, the rack being provided with hingecars 31 and 32 extending be tween the hinge ears 28 and 29 and pro videdat its lower end with a hinge element 33. A pivot pin 34 connects thehinge ears 31 with the hinge ears 28 and a pivot pin or rod 35 ofgreater length than the rod 34 connects the ears of the hinge element 32with the hinge cars 29 and extends down to pass through the hinge earsof the hinge element 33 and also extends upwardly through a latch plate36. This latch plate 36 extends into a slot formed in the lower portionof the latch housing 37 and is provided with openings to receive thelatching pin 38 slidably mounted is the housing 37 and yieldably held toextend through the rack plate 36 by a spring 39. Thisrack 30 cantherefore be turned and releasably held in an adjusted position for apurpose to be hereinafter brought out. A lever or bar 40 is pivotallyconnected with the hinge element 32 and has arms 41 extending therefromto support a platform or shelf 42. A latching pawl $3 for the lever orbar 40 is slidably mounted thereon, and extends to engage the teeth ofthe double rack 30 so that this latch lever may be releasably held in anadgusted position. An actuating pm at is connectcd with this pawl 43 andcarries a spring 45 yieldably holding the pawl in engagement with therack.

When in use, the bracket shelf will be connected with the ladder asshown in Figs. 1 and 2 and after the ladder has been put in place, theplate 22 will be turned to the vertical position and releasably locked.llhe latch lever or bar 40 will then be moved to bring the platform orshelt' 4-2 to a horizontal position so that articles placed thereon willnot have a tendency to slide off and after this has been done, the latch38 may be released and the bracket or rack member 30 may then be swungto one side and the latch 38 then released to lock the bracket in thisposition. It will thus be seen that the bracket shelf may be adjustedfor the inclination of the ladder in case the ladder does not rest uponlevel ground and after the bracket has been brought to extendvertically, the shelf may be moved to ex: tend horizontally thusproviding a steady support for any article which it may be desired toplace upon the shelf. It will be further seen, that this shelf may beretained either in the position shown in Figs.

1 or 2 or it may be turned to one side of the ladder where it will beout of the way.

What is claimed is 1. A. shelf bracket comprising a body, means forconnectingthe body with a support, a latch plate carried by'the body, asupporting plate pivotally connected with the body, means carried by thesupporting plate for engaging the latch plate to releasably hold thesupporting plate in an adjusted position, a bracket pivotally connectedwith thesupporting plate for movement transversely of the body andprovided with rack teeth, a latch plate carried by the bracket, a latchcarried by i the supporting plate for engaging the latch plate ot-thebracket and releasably holding the bracket in an adjusted osition, alatch lever pivotally connected with the bracket and having its latchpositioned for engagement with the rack teeth of the bracket, asupporting arm extending from the latch lever, and a platform carried'bythe supporting arm.

2. A. shelf bracket comprising a body, means for connecting the bodywith a support, a supporting plate pivotally connected 'withthe body,means for releasably holding the supporting plate in an adjustedposition, a bracket pivotally connected with the supporting plate forswinging movementtransversely of thehody, the braeket'be'ingprovidedwith teeth forming a rack, means for "releasably holding said bracketagainst latch positioned for engagement with the rack teetlrof thebracket, an arm extending from the latch lever, and a platform carriedby the arm;

3. A shelf bracket comprising a body, a supporting plate pivotallyconnected with the body and releasably held in a set position, abracketpivotally connected with the supporting plate for swinging movementtransversely of the body, the bracket being arcuate and provided withteeth torminga rack, means for releasably holding the bracket againstswinging movement, a lever pivotally connected with the bracket, a latchmovably carried by the lever and yielclably held to engage the rackteeth of the bracket, and a shelf connected with the lever.

4. A shelf bracket comprising a body, a supporting plate pivotallyconnected with the body and releasably held against movement, a bracketpivotally connected with the supporting plate "for swinging movementtransversely of the body, a latch plate connected with the bracket, alatch carried by the supporting plate and engaging the latch platetoreleasably hold the bracket against swinging movement, a leverpivotally connected with the bracket and releasably held againstmovement, and a shell? connected with the lever.

5. A shelf bracket comprising a body, a supporting plate pivotallyconnected with the body and releasably'held against movement, hinge"ears extending' from the sup porting plate, a bracket providedwitlihinge elements pivotallylconnected withthe hinge ears of the supporting"plate, means releas ablyv holding the bracket against swinging movement,a lever pivotally connected with one of the hinge elements of thebracket, means for releasably holding the lever against movement, and ashelf connected with the lever. W

6. A shelf bracketcomprising a body, a supporting plate pivotallyconnected with the body and releasably held against move: ment, hingeears extending from the sup.- porting plate, a bracket provided withhinge elements, a latch plate carried by the bracket, pivot pinsconnecting the hinge elements of the bracket with the hinge ears of thesupporting plate, one of the hinges extending through the rack plate,*alatch carried by the supporting plate and engaging the latch plate ofthe bracket to releasably hold the bracket against swinging movement,and a shelf" connected with the bracket.

7. A-shelf bracketcomprising .a body, a support pivotally connected withthe body and releasably held against movement, a bracket pivotallyconnected-withthe support for-swinging movement transversely of thebody'and -releasably held against swingingr movement, and-a; shelfpivotallyi r' on; nected with the bracket for vertical wing ing movementand releasably held against movement.

8. A shelf bracket comprising a body, supporting hooks connected withthe body for engaging the rungs of a ladder, a bracing hook pivotallyconnected with the body, means for supporting the bracing hook to extendtransversely of the body and engage a side bar of the ladder, supportingmeans connected with the body, a bracket connected with the supportingmeans, and a shelf connected with the bracket.

9. A shelf bracket comprising a body, rods connected with the body andhaving their upper ends bent to provide hooks, sleeves mounted upon thelower ends of the rods to provide extensions, a rod pivotally connectedwith the lower end portion of the body, an extension connected with therod and having its free end ortion bent to provide a hook, means forrdleasably supporting the last mentioned rod extending to one side ofthe body, a support connected with the body, and shelf carrying meansconnected with the supporting means.

10. A shelf bracket comprising a body, a support pivotally connectedwith the body, a bracket pivotally connected with the support, and ashelf pivotally connected with the bracket, the supporting bracket ofthe shelf being releasably held in a set position.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

BERT C. DODDS. Witnesses:

PHILIP RIEDELBAUGH, MAMIE. RIEDELBAUGH.

copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents,

v Washington, D. 0.

